Bottle-stoppering apparatus.



A A A A? 1 grill? mrm P IN No. 726,505 PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

s. BURKMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1902. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEBTS-SHEET I.

Wnemms No. 726,505. PATENTED APR. 28. 1903.

I A s. BURKMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPBRING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1} 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IEO

Fifth SIMON BURKMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF, ONE-HALF TOAUGUST DAHLBERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE STOPPERBNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,505, dated April28, 1903.

Application filed August 1, 1902.

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, SIMON BURKMAN, asubject of the King of Norway andSweden, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBottle-Stoppering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a device to be used forplacing stoppers in the mouths of bottles, and while it is moreespecially intended to be used for inserting the disks or stoppers inthe mouths of milkbottles, yet it is applicable for applying stoppers tobottles of other kinds; and it consists in certain peculiarities of theconstruction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various partsthereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specificallyclaimed.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a bottle-stopperingapparatus which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong,durable, and effective in operation, and by means of which the stoppersmay be quickly and firmly inserted and pressed into the bottle-mouths.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the device that itmay beused on bottles of different heights in such a manner that thedisks or stoppers will be properly guided to the mouths of the bottles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in thesubjoined description and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it,referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view,partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 1 l of Fig. 2,showing a box or case with bottles arranged in a row therein andillustrating my apparatus in position ready for use. Fig. 2 is a planview thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmental perspective view of a portion ofthe guide or track. Fig. 4 is a rear view of a portion of the disk orstopper carrier. Fig. 5 is a side View thereof. Fig. 6 is a side View ofone of the compensating rings used in connection with the of thedrawings. 7 is located on the upper ends of the bottles in Serial No.117,921. (No model.)

guide or track. Fig. 7 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 8 is an end view,partly in section, of the roller for pressing the stoppers intoposition; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the guide ortrack, showing a modification in the means for holding the compensatingrings in position; and Fig. 10 is a perspective View of one of the disksor stoppers.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the dilferent views ofthe drawings.

A represents a box or case for holding the bottles a, and which box maybe of-any suitable size, form, and material, but is preferablyrectangular in shape and of a sufficient size to hold a large number ofbottles, which are placed in rows, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 The guideor track, which one row when in use, comprises a fiat piece B, having atits sides upturned flanges b to guide the roller and disk or stoppercarrier, as will be presently explained. The piece B or bottom of theguide is formed with a number of circular openings b somewhat largerthan the disks or stoppers and is provided at the front edge of each ofsaid openings with a lip or lug b which. projects upwardly from thepiece 13 and are for the purpose of engaging and removing the disks orstoppers from the disk or stopper carrier. Secured to the lower surfaceof the piece B and surrounding each of the openings therein isadownwardly-fiaring extension or funnel-shaped portion C to receive theupper ends of the bottles. By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings itwill be seen that the upper portion of each of these extensions iscontracted, as at c, and are provided just below their contractedportions withinwardly-projecting pins or screws 0, which fit in suitableslots 0 in the compensating rings D, which are inovably located in thesaid contracted portions of the extensions. The pins 0' serve'to preventthe rings D dropping out, yet permit them to move up and down,asrequired by the different lengths of the bottles. These rings are usedto fill in the spaces between the upper ends of the bottles and thebottom of the guide or track, so as to guide the stoppers or disks andprevent them turning sidewise, as might occur when they are not used ifthe distance between the top of the bottle and the bottom of the guideor track is great.

Instead of securing the rings D in position by means of the pins 0 I mayform the contracted portions of the extensions 0 with slots 0 and securethe rings D together by means of a spring 0 the ends of which passthrough the slots 0 and are secured to the rings in any suitable manner,which springs are fastened at their middle to the lowersurface of thepiece 13 or guide, all of which is clearly shown in Fig. 9 of thedrawings and will be readily understood.

The disk or stopper carrier comprises a cylinderE of a sufficient sizeto hold a large number of the disks or stoppers E,which fit snugly insaid cylinder and lie horizontally therein, as is clearly shown in Fig.1 of the drawings. The bottom of the cylinderE is open and is providedin its edge with recesses e, diametrically opposite each other, for thereception and operation of the lugs or lips 17 on the guide ortrack,which are employed to remove the disks or stoppers one at a time,or one for each of the openings 1) in the guide, as the disk-carrier isslid along. Secured to each side of the cylinder E is a strap 6, thelower ends of which are bent inwardly, so as to extend a slight distancebelow the bottom of the cylinder, so that the bottom disk will besupported thereby. Connected to the disk carrier or cylinder E by meansof a rod fon each sidethereof is a roller G, which is provided with anumberof projections g of cork, rubber, or other suitable material,which projections may be 'screwed into suitable openings therein, as

shown in Fig. 8, or otherwise secured thereto. This rolleris providedwith an axle g, to which one end of each of the rodsfis secured and onwhich are also secured prongs h of a forked handle II, used forpropelling the roller and the disk-carrier when the same are connectedtogether. The roller G, as well as the diskcarrier, are of proper sizeto fit betweenthe flanges b of the guide or track B, which flanges serveto hold them in alinement.

In using my apparatus the guide or track B is placed so thatitsfunnel-shaped extensions 0 will fit over the upper ends of the bottles,when by placing the disk-carrier E and the roller G on the guide ortrack and moving them forward the lips or lugs b on the track willengage the lowermost disk in the carrier and remove it therefrom, thusallowing it to drop through the opening I), where it will be pressed orforced into the mouth of the bottle by means of one of the projections gon the roller. As all of the bottles may not be of the same height, therings D, which are vertically movable in the upper portion of theextensions 0, are used so as to guide the disks to the mouth of thebottle and prevent them from turning edgewise.

While I have shown one track only, yet it is apparent that I may use anynumber of tracks, each of which will fit on the upper ends of thebottles of one row, and may employ one roller and disk-carrier tooperate in all of the tracks one after the other, or may connect two ormore rollers and disk-carriers together so as to travel in two or moreof said tracks, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a bottle-stoppering apparatus, the combination with a guide ortrack having a series of openings and provided with anupwardly-extending lip or lug at the front portion of each of saidopenings, ofa downwardlyprojecting extension surrounding each of saidopenings and secured to the guide or track, a disk or stopper carrierlocated on the said guide and having at its lower end inwardlyextendingpieces, a roller mounted on the guide and provided with a series ofprojections, and a connection uniting the disk-carrier and roller,substantially as described.

2. In a bottle-stoppering apparatus, the combination with a guide ortrack having a series of openings and provided with anupwardly-extending lip or lug near the front of each opening, of adownwardly projecting and flaring extension surrounding each of saidopenings and secured to the guide or track, a ring loosely located inthe contracted portion of each of said extensions, a disk or stoppercarrier located on the said guide and having at its lower endinwardly-extending pieces, a roller mounted on the guide and providedwith a series of projections, and a connection uniting the disk-carrierand roller, substantially as described.

3. In a bottle-stoppering apparatus, the combination with a piece havingupwardlyturned flanges at its edges and a series of openings andprovided with an upwardly-extending lip or lug at the front of each ofsaid openings, of a downwardly projecting and flaring extensionsurrounding each of said openings and secured to the guide-piece, a diskor stopper carrier located on the said guide-piece and having at itslower end inwardly-extending pieces and recesses, and a roller mountedon the guide and provided with a series'of projections and connected tothe disk-carrier, substantially as described.

SIMON BURKMAN.

"Witnesses:

OHAs. O. TILLMAN, HATTIE A. THOMAS.

